Early Canadian Women Pilots
Although many of the first Canadian women pilots faced discrimination, they earned their pilot’s licences and left a lasting legacy on Canadian aviation
Eileen Vollick Flight SuitRCAF Foundation
First Canadian Women to Fly
Women have been involved in aviation in Canada since before the first controlled powered flight of the Silver Dart in 1909. However, it was not until 1928 that the first Canadian women earned a Pilot’s Licence.
We will look at many of these early Canadian women pilots.
Eileen VollickRCAF Foundation
Elieen Vollick
Eileen Vollick wanted to fly since she was quite young. She was so young the Canadian government made her wait until she turned 19 to get Pilot's Licence. Vollick became Canada's first licensed female pilot, and 77th overall, on March 13 1928.
Eileen Magill
On October 24, 1928, Magill was the second Canadian woman, and Manitoba's first, to receive a Pilot's Licence.
Magill learned to fly at the Winnipeg Flying Club and later became a member of its Board of Directors. However, she failed to get a job related to aviation and gave up flying.
Gertrude de la Vergne
Learning to fly in Calgary, de la Vergne received her licence on December 4, 1928. She was Canada's third female pilot and Alberta's first. However, costs kept her from flying, so she tried to get a job as a pilot, but unable to do so because of gender discrimination, she gave up flying.
Dorothy Bell
One of the first students at the Winnipeg Flying Club, Bell received her Pilot's Licence on February 16, 1929. After marrying and having a family, she retired from piloting but continued to travel and fly for the rest of her life.
Louise Burka
On April 3 1929, Burka passed her flying test and received her Pilot's Licence. She was Canada's fifth female pilot.
After receiving her licence, she took a friend flying, becoming the first woman pilot in western Canada to carry a passenger.
Daphne Paterson
Paterson was New Brunswick's first woman pilot. She received her Pilot's Licence on August 15, 1929.
She was the first Canadian woman to earned a Commercial Pilot's Licence. Paterson tried to fly during the Second World War but was rejected due to her gender.
Nellie Carson
Along with Grayce Hutchinson, Carson was one of Saskatchewan's first licensed women pilots. They both earned their pilot licenses on October 12, 1929.
Carson tried to enlist in the RCAF as a pilot during the Second World War but was rejected because she was a woman.
Grayce Hutchinson
Hutchinson flew for a few years after getting her licence but gave it up when she married, at her husband's request.
She tried to fly again during the Second World War but was rejected by both the Chinese Air Force and RCAF. Hutchinson gave up on flying at that point.
Jeanne Gilbert
Gilbert was British Columbia's first woman to receive her Pilot's Licence on November 10, 1929.
In 1939, she briefly flew with the Flying Seven of Vancouver. Gilbert attempted to enlist in the RCAF as a pilot but was rejected as a woman. After this rejection, she gave up flying.
Flying Seven ClubRCAF Foundation
The Flying Seven Club
Canada’s first all-female flying club, formed in 1936. (Left to right) Tosca Trasolini, Alma Gaudrau Gilbert, Jean Pike, Elianne Roberge, Margaret Fane, Rolie Moore, and Betsy Flaherty.
Mostly a social club that flew together, they did work to promote women in aviation.
Flying Seven SWWRCAF Foundation
Raising Awareness of Women Pilots
During the Second World War, the members of the club worked to support the Allied effort. They trained women in aviation related skills.
Although the Flying Seven Club did not survive into the post Second World War period, they raised the profile of Canadian women aviators.
Sources
No Place for a Lady : The Story of Canadian Women Pilots, 1928-1992 by Shirley Render Winnipeg: Portage & Main Press, 1992.
"The First 100 Canadian Women Pilots" by Jen Eggleston October 04, 2022
https://randomlygenerated.ca/blogs/family-tree-and-other-research/the-first-100-canadian-women-pilots
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